1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an alert device for alerting a user of the expiration of a time period set by the user, the alert being an audio message pre-recorded by the user or another and is particularly useful in alerting a user in a shower when a preset showering time has elapsed.
2. Description of The Prior Art
Heretofore a number of different alarm or alert devices have been proposed. Examples of some of these devices are disclosed in the following U.S. Patents.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. PATENTEE ______________________________________ 4,286,331 Anderson et al. 4,563,780 Pollack 4,757,305 Peso 4,867,182 Moineau 4,936,508 Ingalz 5,149,942 Garrett 5,570,325 Arpadi 5,708,627 Gormley ______________________________________
The Anderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,331 is directed to a monitoring system which times the time someone is in a bathroom and the time when appliances in the bathroom are used. This patent does not alert a person with a pre-recorded message when a certain time period has expired.
The Pollack U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,780 is directed to an automatic computer controlled bathroom including a shower, bathtub, sink and toilet which all can be electronically controlled. The system disclosed in this patent can open the water supply at a predetermined time in the morning for filling a bathtub.
The Peso U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,305 teaches a float switch and sound alarm for indicating when the water level in a tub exceeds a certain level.
The Moineau U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,189 teaches a water flow shower control valve by which the time a bather can use a shower is controlled by a pair of timers in a solenoid operated valve.
The Ingalz U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,508 teaches an audible alarm which is sounded after a predetermined amount of water has been passed through a shower head.
The Garrett U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,942 teaches a heater for a mirror with a sound producing unit for controlling the heating time.
The Arpadi U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,325 discloses a toothbrush timer device which only has visual alerts and does not have a pre-recorded message.
The Gormley U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,627 teaches an electronic device that stores recorded messages and correlates each message with the time and day it was received.